persuasive speech presentation

persuasive speech presentation

The Power of Persuasion: Mastering the Art of Effective Speech Presentations

1. Introduction to the Art of Persuasion

To elaborate upon one part of the art of persuasive speech-making—to help the presenter capture and hold the interest of the listener, to invite him to share in the specific vitality of the message—objective show business criteria can be advantageously applied. To an audience the presence and voice quality of the speaker is as significant as the dramatic movement in a play or the singer’s pitch in a song. We are excited every time we experience the inspirational powers of an orator—of which the United States has had many, perhaps more than any other country. What mode of expression rhetoric holds for the emotions, particularly to facilitate the achievement of a seemingly unattainable goal! No other art form so well probes the concealed recesses of our sentiments! And so it is that oratory in the hands of the gifted is the indispensable instrument of a democracy, a vehicle as much for creating and organizing goodwill as for solving the problems of the moment.

The power of persuasion is of extraordinary significance in our time, for generally only the brusque and the stupid are beyond its influence. The ability to speak effectively to a group is a particularly valuable aspect of the art of persuasion. Public speaking enables the individual to capitalize on the key power of human beings: to live in more than one world, to think and act with others from our understanding of their personalities and from social past experience. Tertullian, in an ancient religious treatise, stated that all human fields except true religion improved from the skill of rhetoric. Correctly understood, what Tertullian says of religion is no less valid in any area today: all fields of importance, particularly in a democracy, can be equally enhanced.

2. Understanding Your Audience

In addition to outlining the information content of your speech, it is useful at this stage to consider the level of interest likely to be exhibited by your audience. The secret here is to make your presentation as stimulating as possible. The audience should not leave the meeting wishing that they had not come. Your presentation style should not be off-putting. For example, if detailed technical analysis is not likely to interest all of the audience, you should try where possible to balance the material so that it will appeal to everyone. It is important to avoid sounding patronizing or arrogant, but the use of stories or analogies can enliven your presentation. The process of speech delivery should not be underestimated. With practice, most of us can systematically set out to improve the quality of our delivery, even if we are not naturally gifted.

Before you plan and structure your speech, it is crucial to consider your audience. Your entire presentation should be based on addressing the concerns and needs of the audience. The main overriding rule is that your speech must be relevant. In short, who is your audience, why do they come to listen to you, and what are the important issues facing them? If you take time to examine these questions closely, you should be able to identify common views, needs, and perspectives among members of your audience that you can address. However, remember that no audience will listen closely to a speaker unless they learn something new. Your aim is to give your audience something of value, which they did not have before they arrived.

3. Structuring Your Speech for Maximum Impact

The pattern is this. You begin with a clear, concise statement of your governing purpose in addressing the audience. With that purpose in language, more specific than a mere “I want to discuss,” you can lay a strong foundation for the audience’s understanding of what is to come. The gift of good form helps to win your audience’s acceptance right at the start. Once you have that acceptance, your next step is to summarize briefly, specifically, and telegraphically, the points that will buttress your purpose. These six hours help your hearers visualize and follow the structure of your speech. With this accomplished, the main body of your speech does not drift rudderless, a succession of ill-starred points and examples. The audience will have a set of pegs, a kind of internal outline, on which to hang the materials you develop. The end of the speech is then rounded out, a package complete, by restating the central thesis, declaring your purpose fulfilled. And all in only a minute!

In this section, we examine a speech form that can maximize your impact on an audience. This form is basic to many established patterns of public address. It is the same form that Joseph McKeen uses to conclude his remarks at Bowdoin College. It is the same form employed by another commencement speaker in 1986, by an architect discussing his designs for a new complex of buildings, and by an admiral discussing the speeding of security clearances for secret documents. And it is vital to the writing techniques of successful orators.

4. Utilizing Visual Aids and Technology

Universal agreement exists that the greater the visual impact, the greater the chance of adding interest to a speech. Individuals who listen to a speech only remember about ten percent of what they hear, but the percentage increases to about 35 when they both hear and see, and to 80 when they hear, see, and do. Therefore, visual aids create impact, save time and add variety, but it is possible that the speech can also fail if the slides are poorly designed and executed. Opportunities then are lost to add impact to a presentation in one way or many. In other words, the slides become a negative critical point to concentrate on rather than on the speech itself.

Visual aids may be divided into two types: two-dimensional and three-dimensional. Two-dimensional aids include such mediums as television, motion pictures, slides, photographs, maps, charts, diagrams, and transparencies. Because of their title, the three-dimensional aids are chosen because they illustrate and gain the interest of the audience better than any other methods. Examples include models, mock-ups, a trainer’s aid, objects, skits, and puppets. The advantages of having lecture aids are fourfold: they can convey messages that are beyond the power of words, they can aid in retention, they can gain and retain interest, and they can save time.

5. Mastering Delivery Techniques

The most effective speakers know when to use the pause as a powerful persuasive tool. The next time you speak, instead of oohing and ahing, filling every moment with “uh,” allow the pause to have its impact. A one-second pause feels like an hour to the speaker. A short pause allows time for your audience to understand the point you just made. If you have the attention of the Politics, Commerce, and Resources for the questions; usually this is being the one best for the argument. It allows you to pause, collect yourself, and think about your next response. A good speech is one you’re proud to give. It takes quite a bit of practice to make a good speech – and a lot of preparation. But you wouldn’t spend weeks planning a party and then just put chips and beer on the table for your guests, so the first thing that you wouldn’t want to do is not to plan for a speech carefully.

Just as the great athlete has learned how to play her sport, and the great writer overcomes the challenges of putting his words on paper, great speakers have also learned presentation techniques that allow them to put their best foot forward and present themselves with confidence. Understanding and practicing delivery techniques can give you what you need to “sell” yourself. Kind of like a knock-out mail team. “What? Who? Where? Why?” Then there is the Power Silence, Once More With Feeling, Moving And Connecting, Preparing The Speech, and Then There Is Practice. Relax and let yourself teach your audience. They want to listen to you. They want to learn from you. Let yourself shine and develop your power of persuasion – easily and effectively!